Some of
an estimated 100 Americans who have trekked to the Middle East to join terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) have returned to the U.S. according to a senior administration official. The official said an estimated 15000 individuals had entered Iraq and Syria to join groups like ISIS and the al Nusra Front. Of those 2000 were European and
100 were Americans the official added.
That figure includes Americans who may have tried to travel or those who have come back a second senior administration official said.
It includes those who have gone those who have tried to go those who have come back and are under active the FBI is looking at them the official said.
The revelation could spark fresh security concerns about Americans who were radicalized abroad returning to carry out an attack on U.S. soil.
One senior administration official said that there was currently a full-court press across our intelligence" to combat the risk posed by the fighters including new programs to intervene and prevent terrorist attacks from radicalized Americans.
Those include advanced passenger name recognition systems for air travel and pilot programs in at least three American cities Los Angeles Minneapolis and Boston where community members look to intervene ahead of radicalization.
The president will be chairman of a Security Council meeting on Wednesday where he will seek a new resolution demanding countries strengthen laws and programs to staunch the flow of foreign citizens to the Middle East looking to join terrorist groups.
